How Writing a Letter to Addiction Can Help You Heal

How Writing a Letter to Addiction Can Help You Heal

In 2015, after my husband returned home from treatment, I found myself in a state of grief. I was grieving what I thought life would be like, and I was facing the reality of what it actually was. I felt like we had lost two years of our lives together, and all my hopes and dreams for the future were crushed — even though he was sober.

This is a grief many of us experience when we love someone who struggles with substance use.

As I processed this with my counselor, she suggested I write a letter — not to my husband, but to the disease of addiction itself. In that letter, I was able to fully share everything alcohol had taken from me. I expressed my raw emotions — my disappointment, fear, anger, and more. It gave me a safe place to release what I had been holding in for so long, and it was truly healing.

I later shared the letter with my counselor and my Finding Hope group, a faith-based support group for the loved ones of addicts and alcoholics. My husband has never read it; the letter was never meant for him, but for the disease that affected him. Since that summer in 2015, I have rewritten the letter several times. Through that process, I’ve seen God’s goodness and faithfulness, as well as my own growth and healing.

Writing a letter to addiction can be a powerful, cathartic way to grieve, process, and express what the disease has done to you personally. Because of that, this month, we will be doing this activity during your Finding Hope meeting. If you’re unable to attend, I encourage you to do it on your own.

Once you have your letter, it’s important to share it out loud with a trusted person, whether that’s a Hope Dealer, your counselor, or someone else you feel safe with. You are always welcome to reach out to me as well; I would be honored to listen.

Don’t let grief and addiction take any more from you. Begin your healing journey today.

Here is how my letter began:

‍Dear Alcohol,

I hate what you are doing to our family. You have stolen so much from our family. You stole memories. You stole financial peace. You have stolen sleep. Because of you, I have lived on eggshells. I am tired of living like this…

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With hope,

Amy LaRue, Director of Family Support Groups

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If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, Hope is Alive offers faith-based addiction recovery support, sober living resources, and Finding Hope groups for families impacted by substance abuse.